Not applicable to this application.
Not applicable to this application.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to aerial firefighting systems and more specifically it relates to an aerial firefighting system for increasing the amount of firefighting material available during an aerial application.
2. Description of the Related Art
Aerial firefighting systems have been in use for years. The most common type of aerial firefighting system utilized with helicopters is the usage of a bucket capable of releasing large volumes of water upon a fire. The bucket is attached to the helicopter by a cable or similar structure along with a release cord or actuator that opens the lower portion of the bucket upon demand.
The main problem with conventional aerial firefighting systems is that they provide a limited amount of firefighting material to the scene of a fire. A further problem with conventional aerial firefighting systems is that they require the operator to repeatedly fill the bucket with water which is time consuming. A further problem with conventional aerial firefighting systems is that they do not produce a significant volume of carbon dioxide filled foam.
Examples of patented devices which may be related to the present invention include U.S. Pat. No. 5,385,208 to Baker et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 3,580,339 to Nance; U.S. Pat. No. 5,699,862 to Rey; U.S. Pat. No. 4,979,571 to MacDonald; U.S. Pat. No. 5,248,436 to Kovaletz; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,371,384 to Garcia.
While these devices may be suitable for the particular purpose to which they address, they are not as suitable for increasing the amount of firefighting foam available during an aerial application. Conventional aerial firefighting devices do not provide an adequate volume of foam during a single trip and require constant refilling of the water supply.
In these respects, the aerial firefighting system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of increasing the amount of firefighting foam available during an aerial application.
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of aerial firefighting devices now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new aerial firefighting system construction wherein the same can be utilized for increasing the amount of firefighting foam available during an aerial application.
The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new aerial firefighting system that has many of the advantages of the aerial firefighting devices mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new aerial firefighting system which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art aerial firefighting systems, either alone or in any combination thereof.
To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a turbo motor, a catalytic converter connected to the turbo motor for creating carbon dioxide, a first reservoir for storing a volume of foam agent, a bucket having a second reservoir for storing a volume of water, a plurality of fluid valves within a reservoir floor of the second reservoir, a partition member below the partition member having a plurality of first apertures, a dispensing member fluidly connected to the first reservoir for dispensing the foam agent within a mixing chamber, and a foam screen attached to a lower portion of the bucket above a lower opening within the bucket. The carbon dioxide is fed into the screen area where the water and foam agent enter in a mixed solution from the mixing chamber thereby creating CO2 foam.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and that will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of the description and should not be regarded as limiting.
A primary object of the present invention is to provide an aerial firefighting system that will overcome the shortcomings of the prior art devices.
A second object is to provide an aerial firefighting system for increasing the amount of firefighting foam available during an aerial application.
Another object is to provide an aerial firefighting system that reduces the number of water refilling drops required by a firefighting helicopter.
An additional object is to provide an aerial firefighting system that efficiently utilizes water contained within a bucket.
A further object is to provide an aerial firefighting system that provides a carbon dioxide firefighting foam to the scene of a fire.
Another object is to provide an aerial firefighting system that may be applied in an aerial or non-aerial manner.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become obvious to the reader and it is intended that these objects and advantages are within the scope of the present invention.